Influenza, commonly known as “the flu,” is an infectious disease caused by the influenza virus. The most common symptoms include: a high fever, runny nose, sore throat, muscle pains, headache, coughing, and feeling tired. These symptoms typically begin two days after exposure to the virus and most last less than a week. However, the cough may last for more than two weeks. Complications of influenza may include viral pneumonia, secondary bacterial pneumonia, sinus infections, and worsening of previous health problems such as asthma or heart failure. The lung disease severity following influenza A virus (IAV) infection is dependent on the extent of inflammation in the respiratory tract. Severe inflammation in the lung manifests in development of pneumonia. Therefore, it is critical to identify cellular factors and dissect the molecular/cellular mechanism controlling inflammation in the respiratory tract during IAV infection. There remains a need for compositions and methods to reduce inflammation during influenza A infection.